


Separate Rooms

by LaOruga



Series: TL Follies [2]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Crying Karkat Vantas, Getting Back Together, Happy Ending, Humanstuck, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Break Up, crying Dave Strider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28432899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaOruga/pseuds/LaOruga
Summary: Their break-up had been mutual. After Rose’s high school graduation, Karkat knew that there was going to be a shift. He could feel it well before it happened. Teaching was never going to be a permanent career choice for Dave, so when he brought it up that February (fucking, cursed, shit month), Karkat ignored the twisting in his gut and tried to be supportive. So much of Dave’s life felt like it had been forced upon him after his parents died. Guardianship, his career, and sometimes Karkat wondered if he felt like that about their relationship as well.A snapshot of Dave and Karkat's split and reunion, three years into their relationship.Part of the Teacher's Lounge AU.
Relationships: Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas
Series: TL Follies [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2081760
Comments: 21
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back! 
> 
> Straight up, I did very little editing for this side fic! 
> 
> I split it into 2 chapters to make it more digestible!

Karkat pulls his laundry out of the dryer and groans at the thought of having to fold it up. He considers for a moment, dumping it on his bed and just living out of the pile. It’s not as if he uses the whole bed anymore.

Sharing a bed with Dave for the majority of the past three years means he’s gotten used to sleeping on the left side of the bed and since there is now  _ nobody _ to occupy the right side of the mattress, it might as well become his spot for clean laundry. 

Karkat drops the clothes on the bed and quickly flops down beside it. He’s curled up on top of the covers, letting the soft warmth of the clothes come over him and as he closes his eyes to the rays of sun coming in through the curtains, Karkat lets himself pretend for a moment, that the warmth is coming from a handsome red-eyed man, and not just his finally clean clothes. 

He’s starting to fall asleep, his mind conjuring up the ghost sensation of Dave’s arms around him when his phone starts to ping. Karkat groans and tries to ignore it by burrowing his face into the laundry. A faint wisp of apple hits him and when he opens his eyes he sees that he accidentally washed the red sweater that Dave left behind. 

Their break-up had been mutual. After Rose’s high school graduation, Karkat knew that there was going to be a shift. He could feel it well before it happened. Teaching was never going to be a permanent career choice for Dave, so when he brought it up that February (fucking, cursed, shit month), Karkat ignored the twisting in his gut and tried to be supportive. So much of Dave’s life felt like it had been forced upon him after his parents died. Guardianship, his career, and sometimes Karkat wondered if he felt like that about their relationship as well. 

That summer, Dave had a residency at a program in a bigger city on the west coast and when he told Karkat about it, it was like they both knew that whatever they had was over. 

Dave didn’t ask Karkat to go with him. As much as it hurt him, Karkat understood that it was time for Dave to close the brief and unexpected chapter of his life and start a new one that picked up where he had left off before the death of his parents. 

Karkat understood that he was not part of that narrative. He was to stay behind while Dave moved on. 

The split happened quietly and privately making sure that folks at school didn’t make it more than it had to be. Dirk and Rose, while visibly upset with the both of them, didn’t say much and Karkat wondered if it had been due to the conversation Roxy said they had around the time they first got together.

Karkat was ready to wrap himself into an emotional fortress, preparing himself for the lonesome future but Dirk, Rose, and Roxy were still very much his kids. They had adopted each other into one another’s lives and the split was not going to change that. 

In the months Karkat and Dave haven’t been together, Dirk and Roxy have made a point of splitting their breaks between Dave and Karkat. Chanukkah and Passover with Dave in his little studio apartment, new year, and spring break with Karkat. Rose is too far and busy abroad to see anyone but she still keeps up with weekly calls.

The phone stops pinging and begins to ring. Whoever has been texting has switched to a voice call. Karkat reaches for his phone and clicks the side button to answer. 

“Hello?” his voice is tired and drawn out. He hopes it dissuades whoever is on the other side. 

“Shit, man. I know you’re like two years older than me but I really thought you knew how to use video calls.”

The sweet and cool sound of Dave’s voice rips through Karkat’s body with a sharp jolt that makes him drop the phone off the bed.

He swallows hard as he scrambles down to grab it. As he reaches for it, he can see Dave’s face on the screen. His hair is a little longer like he hasn’t had the time to get a haircut. He looks tired, even though Karkat can’t see his eyes, the small bits of tension on his face are things that Karkat has learned to recognize over the years. 

“I was asleep, shit face. What do you want?” Karkat winces at his own harsh tone. It’s the first time he’s talked to Dave since July and the first thing out of his mouth is a gruff insult. He feels the conflict that is stirring in his heart. He hasn’t heard Dave’s voice in months and the sound makes him long for his ex-boyfriend, but it’s hard to ignore there are the pitiful and hurt memories that keep rising to the surface.

“Oh,” Dave says quietly. There’s remorse in his voice and Karkat wants to punch himself for causing its presence, “Sorry. I can—”

“It’s fine, whatever,” Karkat sighs and pulls himself back up on the bed. 

Dave’s smile on the screen is guarded.

“I talked to your dad earlier.”

Karkat’s face falls, it’s almost comical. Dave suppresses a laugh. He’s surrounded by people all day and he has yet to meet anyone whose face is as openly expressive as Karkat’s. 

“Why?” 

Dave’s smile softens into something a little more genuine, “Okay, full disclosure, I kind of talk to Don Vantas like, maybe once a month? He checks in.”

Karkat’s jaw drops and a high-pitched sound crawls out of his throat. 

“Why have neither of you mentioned this?”

Dave rubs the back of his neck and chuckles nervously. “It was awkward? I mean you and I haven’t talked since, um, last summer, I guess, and I kind of figured your dad would’ve told you.”

Karkat pinches the space between his eyes and groans. 

“He’s worried about you. He said you haven’t called or answered his calls in like two months?”

Karkat huffs ready to argue that the claim is bullshit but the words get stuck when his mind quickly does the math. He’s been wallowing for the past few weeks, burying himself in solitude and work. It wasn’t his intention to ignore his dad. He’s just not been in the mood for much of anything. 

“I’m fine,” he says, “I’ll call him today.”

“Good,” Dave sounds satisfied. “How’s school?”

It’s such a stale question. Karkat’s mouth sets into an exasperated line. 

“Shit, sorry. I know that’s the worst fucking question. Any hot dates?”

Dave’s face twists the moment the words get out. He doesn’t want to hear about Karkat’s love life. He’s tried asking his siblings about it, as subtly as he can, but they’ve been surprisingly tight-lipped about the topic. Dave doesn’t know if it’s to save him the pain or to let Dave torture himself with an overactive imagination.”

Karkat thinks about lying. To see if maybe the idea of him moving on hurts Dave as much as it does Karkat.

“I’m way too busy for dating,” he mutters.

Karkat tries not to read too much into the little sigh Dave lets out or the way his brows come down from where they were raised in anticipation. If Karkat lets himself read into it his stomach will flip. 

It does anyway. 

“Oh, good. I mean, same!” 

Karkat forces himself to look away from the screen. “How’s the program?”

Dave’s whole face opens up and Karkat can imagine how bright his eyes must be behind the shades. He dives into a rambling mess about the music he’s been composing, some of the projects he’s worked on, and the little team he’s been assembling as a makeshift production company for some of his student films. 

The passion in his voice and the way his hands move about with so much joy, remind Karkat that this is the life Dave deserves. If he loves Dave he should be happy for him. Supportive. 

It hurts like a bitch, though. To not be there with him. 

“Fuck, sorry, that’s probably really boring,” Dave smiles apologetically.

Karkat shakes his head and tries to smile. He can’t hide the longing behind it and it pierces Dave’s already wounded, heart. 

“I like knowing what you’re up to,” Karkat’s admission is soft but Dave hears it louder than the traffic outside of his window. 

Dave knows that Karkat has a life teaching at AHHS. It makes him genuinely happy and he’s instrumental to the fabric of the school’s community. He had said many times when they first met, that he couldn’t imagine ever working anywhere else. Dave couldn’t ask Karkat to drop everything and follow him down the coast to a completely new environment just because Dave wanted to change his career. 

And Dave could never forget the circumstances of their relationship, and while he knew his feelings for Karkat were his own, true, and honest; Dave has never been able to get over the worry that maybe he and his family had pushed and projected their desires on Karkat. 

Splitting up was the correct move. It was the best move. Karkat deserved to fall in love on his account. Even if Dave still thought about him every night and if he sometimes whispered Karkat’s name when he was alone. 

“What do you talk to my dad about?” Karkat asks a little sharper. There’s a hint of teasing in his words. 

Dave smirks playfully, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” 

Karkat exaggerates a scowl, “I’ll hang up!”

Dave pretends to panic as he removes his shades. Karkat’s whimper at the sight echoes in his ears. Dave feels himself shiver at the familiar sound.

“He says I need to keep practicing my Spanish, and usually to check-in. Sometimes we gossip about your aunts and uncles.”

This makes Karkat break out into a grin, “Of, fucking, course. No wonder he’s got it all out of his system when he calls me. It’s been like pulling teeth trying to figure out what’s up with Aunt Rosa and her new husband.”

The banter and chatter that follows feels familiar and comforting. It’s like they’ve slipped into their old selves, they tease and flirt with each other as if there hasn’t been nearly a year of silent yearning between them.

It’s the jarring sound of loud knocking on Dave’s door that grounds them back into the present, where their banter is non-existent and everything they say feels stiff and awkward.

“Oh, shit,” Dave’s eyes look to the corner of the screen, at something outside of Karkat’s view, “I totally forgot about my meeting.”

Karkat pushes back the disappointment that wells up in his chest, “No problem, I gotta get some grading done anyways.”

Dave gives him a timid smile, “Let’s talk again soon, yeah? And call your dad!”

Three more knocks.

Karkat smiles, “Yeah, okay. Good luck.”

The call ends and Karkat is left behind in the quiet of his bedroom once again. 

He spots the red sweater at the bottom of his laundry pile and yanks it out with quick force. Karkat buries his face in the worn fabric and tells himself that he’s not going to cry. 

Instead, he heaves a few times and once he feels like he’s back in control, he pulls the sweater over his head. 

He makes the mistake of calling his dad using a video call because he gets called out on the sweater immediately. 

* * *

Weeks go by.

Dave stares at his phone. He had planned on waiting until Karkat called or texted first but when he said this to Jade she called him a dumbass.

It’s not Dave’s fault that he’s trying not to push Karkat. For all, he knows Karkat may have suddenly found someone new and hot that rocks his world since the last time they spoke. 

“Augh,” Roxy rolls his eyes on the screen, “You make the same face.”

Dave frowns, “What face?”

“The sad mopey face that Karkat makes whenever we mention you in the slightest. He gets all sad like we all decided to take turns doing him like Julius Caesar.”

Dave’s face twitches with guilt. 

“Can I ask you something, bro to bro? Dumbass to dumbass?”

Dave gives him a curt nod.

“Why didn’t you try long distance?”

The question is simple but it still turns Dave’s heart into heavy lead. The answer requires an explanation that he’s not entirely sure he wants to speak out into existence. 

“He misses—“

“Could we not?” He cuts him off. “Like, I get it. You all think we’re star crossed lovers or some fantasy bullshit, but it wasn’t fair to Karkat. He didn’t deserve having us bully him into a goddamn romance.”

Roxy looks taken aback by Dave’s outburst. His face quiets in a serious way that highlights his Strider features. His face doesn’t hold it for long, Roxy sighs, and his eyes ease as he stares back at his older brother. 

He figured that the Strilonde enthusiasm would eventually catch up to them. He’s not surprised at all to hear that Dave has been stewing with this by himself. 

“Okay,” Roxy says, “But just FYI Karkat is coming to my graduation and I really want him to meet Callie. So, don’t be weird.”

Dirk smirks, “Finally gonna let us meet your partner in person?”

Roxy groans, “Dave,”

“I know, I know, I won’t be weird. No crying or yelling or embarrassing you. Scout’s honor,” he holds a hand over his heart. 

The call ends with Roxy’s weary goodbye and Dave sinks into his computer chair with a forlorn moan. After a few beats of wallowing, he decides to go all-in and hits play on his carefully curated post-breakup playlist. He lets the first chorus punch him in his emotions before slumping over to his dresser and pulling out the black crew neck he never returned. If Dave concentrates he thinks he might still be able to catch the faint scent of old books and mangos. 

He ends up ordering pancit as his dinner for one and is disappointed when it doesn’t taste anything like Karkat’s homemade version.

* * *

Roxy’s graduation is on Monday. It’s a fucked up day to have graduation but Karkat doesn’t mind. He pairs the weekend with his personal days and he suddenly has nearly a full week off. 

He told Roxy he would be there the Monday since he was relatively close compared to everyone else but he insisted that Karkat go and stay with him and the family at the house he was renting with his partner. 

“Dave won’t be in until Sunday night,” Roxy adds.

Karkat swallows but quietly agrees. 

He’s glad when he arrives and is immediately greeted by Roxy and Rose who neither of whom holds back in their hugs. Dirk lingers and shuffles his weight from one leg to another to the peripheral.

Karkat waves him over, “Come here, asshole, you’re not too cool for a family hug.”

Dirk rolls his eyes behind his signature shades and scuffles toward the group, letting himself be pulled in. 

Saturday afternoon, Karkat spends his time listening to the siblings catch up and share about their exploits.

“Is John coming to the ceremony?” Roxy asks while he strokes Callie’s arm as they rest their head on his shoulder. 

Dirk’s lips curl into a sweet smile as he thinks of his boyfriend, “Yeah, he’s driving up with Dave and Kanaya.”

Karkat feels all but Callie’s eyes fall on him. He avoids them by staring into his drink. Whatever he’s already consumed is turning hot and acidic in his stomach. 

It is a mix of nervous anticipation and fear, in a way he hasn’t felt since he was first piecing together his feelings for Dave. Karkat knows that the moment he sees Dave he is going to be done for. 

And when Sunday evening rolls around, and Karkat watches Dave’s car pull into the driveway from the kitchen window, he almost drops the plate he’s washing. 

“Is everything alright?” Callie asks.

Karkat nods and focuses on washing the plate. “Yeah, the rest of the party is here.”

Callie perks up, “Oh, the eldest Strider? Should we go say hello?”

Karkat tries to swallow the lump in his throat. “Go ahead, I’ll catch up in a second.”

Callie looks at Karkat with a bright and unknowing smile. He wonders if they don’t know about his past with Dave or if they’re being polite. Either way, he’s grateful for the lack of pity. 

Alone, Karkat takes a few deep breaths but it doesn’t make the tight pull in his chest go away. 

* * *

John and Kanaya exchange looks the entire ride to Roxy’s place. Dave hasn’t stopped muttering to himself, his pitch getting increasingly worrisome.

“Dave, would you like one of us to take over and drive the rest of the way?” Kanaya places a light hand on his shoulder. Dave looks back at her through the rearview mirror and sees the concern in her eyes. When Dave turns to look at John, it is obvious he feels the same. 

“What? No, I’m cool. I got this. Easy peasy,” He shrugs.

“Are you nervous about seeing Karkat again?” John goes straight for Dave’s jugular. 

“Of course not?” He doesn’t mean for it to sound like a question. 

John twists back in his seat and rolls his eyes at Kanaya. 

She gives him a gentle pat, “It is absolutely normal to feel nervous and uncomfortable about seeing your ex-boyfriend, whom you are still very much in love with, for the first time in nearly a year.”

Dave heaves, “Why would you think--”

“Dude,” John groans, “Remember that networking event we went to at the alumni center? And that woman who was very clearly into you—”

“She was gorgeous,” Kanaya reminds them.

“Yeah, she was, and majorly shooting her shot at Dave, but what did you do Dave?”

He tries to remember the event. As a graduate student on a niche scholarship, he finds himself at many random dinners and networking events. It’s not uncommon for people to fall for his charm and take it as an invitation to hit on him. 

“Don’t you think it’s kind of weird that we all ended up at the same school?” he tries to deflect. 

Kanaya huffs, “You spoke to this beautiful woman about Karkat for a considerable amount of time.”

“Half an hour. A whole thirty minutes,” John clarifies.

“Okay,” Dave shoots them a deep-set frown, “She  _ asked _ me about my time as a teacher. And a lot of that is tied to Karkat.”

“She asked you about your music.”

“And you rambled about how you are producing an entire album using the last voicemail he sent you.”

“You literally told her you were still in love with him!”

“Okay, so I was a little buzzed! Rich people go hard with their alcohol. Don’t think I didn’t see y’all hitting the open bar with your fake IDs.”

John squirms in his seat, “I’m just saying—”

“It was a rather clear and direct admission,” Kanaya finishes. 

Dave’s grip on the steering wheel tightens. He wondered why they hadn’t brought it up before, the event had been a month ago but they must have been waiting to corner him somewhere he wouldn’t be able to run. 

His siblings haven’t been too pushy, giving Dave space, and Dave imagines they’ve done the same when it comes to Karkat. Probably allowing him enough time to realize that whatever he thought he felt for Dave was just a projection of his and his family’s stubborn desire to have Karkat as part of their life. 

“He’s probably moved on. So it doesn’t matter. And  _ don’t bring it up anymore. _ Especially not around him. I told Roxy I wasn’t going to be weird about shit.”

Kanaya hums and John can recognize the playful teasing undertones. Of course, Dave does not. 

“That’s right, mother mentioned that Karkat was seeing a handsome bartender.”

Dave scowls and brake checks, jostling the three of them around for a split second. 

“Jack the fucking hipster?” He scoffs unable to hold back. His stomach is turning and the skin on his body suddenly feels like it has been replaced with static. 

It makes sense, Karkat already had a crush on the charismatic Jack. Maybe if Dave hadn’t come into the picture they would have worked out. And of course, that manly, pretty asshole wanted a piece of Vantas. Who wouldn’t want someone so emotional, smart, and kind with a fine ass in their life as their S.O.? Dave certainly did.

“Oh my god, Dave!” John laughs with disbelief. “She’s pulling your leg! Right?”

Kanaya nods, “Apparently, Karkat does not have much interest in dating at the moment. Not for a lack of suitors if I am not mistaken.”

Dave ignores the relief in tension that comes over him. 

When they finally pull into Roxy’s driveway, Dave once again does not know what to do with himself. His siblings greet him with warmth, reminding Dave that he’s glad they all ended up doing family therapy for that first year back because at the very least it normalized hugging for all of them. Even if Dirk is still a little skittish about it. 

Roxy wastes no time introducing them all to Callie, who shies away from the influx of attention. 

Dave does his best to be polite and listen to what is being said as Roxy leads them into the cute small house. 

“Oh no, John and I are staying at a hotel,” He hears Dirk argue.

Roxy groans, “No, bro, why?”

“What do you mean why? Just look at how hard Egbert is blushing.”

Dave lets his eyes wander around the house while they argue. There are pictures on the wall of Roxy and Callie in various settings. One frame in particular catches his attention. Dave has his arms wrapped around Karkat while he plays with Karkitty on his lap. Dirk, Roxy, and Dave are wearing the matching kippah that Rose knitted for them. It hurts to look at how all of their faces look at ease. It makes Dave feel envious of his past self. 

“It’s a nice shot of all the men in the family. That was a good Passover.” Dave jumps at Rose’s interruption. “It was much quieter this year. Not bad. Just--”

Dave nods, “Dull. Unseasoned,”  _ incomplete. _

“He’s hiding in the kitchen,” she smiles up at her brother. 

* * *

Karkat finds Dave before he has finished gathering the courage to face him. 

His hair endearingly stands in all directions and Dave can tell that Karkat has been running a hand through it. 

Finally having him in front of him makes Dave want to reach out and touch him, to confirm that he’s there and not another figment of his imagination.

“Are you okay? Are you having a brain hemorrhage? Dave, say something.” 

Hearing Karkat call out his name makes Dave go weak in the knees. Karkat’s face goes from its grouchy baseline to a wide-eyed alarm. 

“God, you’re so expressive.”

Dave doesn’t realize he said it aloud until he notices the way Karkat’s face darkens as he looks away. 

Karkat’s chest twists when Dave calls him expressive. It feels like a call-out. Like he’s being shamed for carrying his emotions on his sleeve, easy for Dave to see and inspire pity.

However brave Karkat felt after psyching himself up to find Dave is no longer the case. He feels awkward and bare which is not a great feeling when he knows Dave has seen him at his most vulnerable. 

It doesn’t help that Dave looks handsome and cool in his signature Strider way. 

“Good to know you’re still a huge jerk,” Karkat puts as much of a bite in his words. His heart sinks when he realizes that it makes Dave smile. 


	2. Chapter 2

“I can just sleep on the couch. I already do that all of the time. It’s not a big deal.”

Karkat glares at the single bed. It’s a small house with lots of people, Karkat knew he would have to share a room. And he didn’t have it in him to deny Callie’s request.

“Don’t be stupid. I promised Roxy I wouldn’t be weird and if send you out to the couch he’s going to get sad.”

Dave bites down on his tongue.

“This is the second time this has happened to us. Remember that conference Feferi sent us to? A single bed in the hotel room. I was nervous as fuck to finally get you in bed. You were so chill about it though, you fell asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow.” Dave wrings his hands together and pops each of his knuckles. 

The sound is grating, Karkat thinks, and instinctively reaches over and grabs Dave’s hand. 

Dave stops breathing and if he has anything else to say the words get caught in his throat. 

Karkat realizes what he’s done and quickly drops Dave’s hand. He hates the way he immediately regrets it. 

“I was also really nervous.”

Karkat gets into the bed without saying another word. If he dares to speak he knows he will lose the little nerve he has. 

Dave watches as Karkat climbs into the left side of the bed,  _ Karkat’s side of the bed, _ and pulls the covers over his head. He’s glad Karkat can’t see through the thick blankets because Dave’s face crumbles and his heart sinks heavy into the pit of his stomach. He takes a shaky and shallow breath as he tries to be as quiet as possible while he climbs into the left side of the bed. 

Karkat gasps loudly as his head pops out of the covers. Dave turns his head just enough to see him.

“Were you holding your breath?” Dave huffs.

“No,” Karkat says defensively. “It wasn’t this awkward when hadn’t even dated,” he adds after a moment. His voice with a twinge of melancholy.

Dave nods in the dark, “Yeah. I haven’t slept that good in a while.”

Karkat shifts onto his back, “That’s because you’re not sleeping in your bed.”

They stare up at the ceiling, making little figures out of the shadows in the texture. 

Dave blinks up confused, “I always sleep in my bed, man. I’m not, like, spending the night with anyone else.”

Karkat bites down on his bottom lip and then sighs. “I was talking about sleeping on the couch.” He feels Dave flinch on his side of the bed and he wonders if he were to look at Dave, would he be blushing?

He is. 

“Even when I sleep in my bed it’s not the same.”

The taste in Karkat’s mouth goes stale. He’s picking up the implication of Dave’s words and he feels lightheaded as he has to decide whether he’s going to bite or not. Karkat feels the same. He hasn’t slept a full uninterrupted night since Dave packed his things up and left. As exhausted and full of aches Karkat is, his mind tortures him with vivid dreams and memories. He’s constantly cold now, even with all of the blankets and heaters— he feels like the cold is in his head and bones.

Karkat takes a deep breath, he wants to throw it in Dave’s face that he made the choice to leave and that if he’s now having a hard time sleeping that’s on him. 

But he can’t do that to him. Not when he remembers how full of joy Dave looked when he talked about what he was doing at school.

Karkat turns back to his side so he’s not tempted to reach for Dave, “Well, here’s to hoping we can get a decent night’s sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

They do sleep well. Dave feels the most rested he has felt in months as his eyes adjust to the soft light coming through the window. He knows it has everything to do with the fact that Karkat has his arms wrapped around him. Dave can hear the soft purr of his snoring and the warm breath that hits the nape of his neck. 

Dave’s heart clenches, ready for the inevitable heartbreak that will follow when Karkat wakes up and pulls away. 

But for now, he sinks into the familiar comfort of Karkat’s embrace. It doesn’t take long for him to fall back asleep.

When he wakes up for the second time, Karkat is gone. 

* * *

“Good morning, lazy!” Roxy announces when he sees Dave enter the kitchen, still in his pajamas. 

Dave rubs his eyes and blinks back at him, “Where is everybody else?”

Roxy shrugs, “Dirk and John are probably making out somewhere. Rose and Kanaya are driving down to see her mom. Karkat and Callie are already on campus. They wanted to hit up an alumni event. I think Callie is trying to get Karkat connected with some of the folks in publishing. I always forget that Karkat graduated from the same place,” he chuckles to himself.

“Isn’t your graduation later today?” Dave shuffles over to the coffee pot with a yawn. 

Roxy observes him, “Yeah, but mine is scheduled well into the evening, so everyone should be back before then,” He pats the empty chair next to him, “You sleep alright? It wasn’t too weird to have to share a room with KK?”

Dave feels his body stiff at the question. He places all of his focus on pouring without spilling any coffee. 

“Yeah,” he says, “Great. It wasn’t, well it was at first, really awkward. I think-- fuck,-- I think I told him I missed him. I don’t know if he picked up on it.”

Roxy looks down at his mug, “I know you don’t want to talk about it. And I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want,” he says firmly. “But I know Karkat is still totes in love with you.”

“What happened to not making things weird?” Dave teases. He tousles Roxy’s hair and sits down on the pulled out seat next to him. 

“You’re both so, damn, dramatic,” he rolls his eyes. “And John told us about your slip up. Also, you still look at Karkat like he’s the fucking apple of your eye or whatever.”

Dave gulps hot coffee and nearly chokes at the unexpected heat. 

“How do you know he’s— that he still feels the same way?”

“Because he told us over breakfast in near tears.” Roxy deadpans. “I think,” Roxy pauses to make sure his big brother is listening. He takes the way Dave’s brow is knitted together, staring at his flexing hands over the table, as a sign that he is indeed listening. 

“I think,” Roxy repeats, “That if you had bothered to ask him, Karkat would have gone with you. You both dropped the ball. This is no surprise, considering your track record, but you keep assuming you know what the other wants and you just  _ don’t _ . For being such loudmouths, you need to learn how to communicate better.”

Dave’s vision goes blurry and he throws his head back trying to make the tears that threaten to fall, back to wherever they came from. 

“And you’re lucky it’s me saying this and not Dirk because he would not have been as impartial. He’s been holding back some choice words on the matter.”

Dave can’t hold back the blurb of laughter, “I bet. Fuck,” he sighs. “I can’t do it, Rox. I can’t ask him to give up his life and his career. He would nev— Karkat would _ never _ ask that of  _ me _ . I kind of wanted him to. When I first told him about getting into the program, which fuck, I didn’t even tell him I was applying to—”

Roxy groans, “You are the worst.”

Dave laughs again. This time it sounds defeated, “I know, I know. But when I got in I really wanted him to ask me to stay. I think I would have? Or shoot, I don’t know. But he didn’t—”

“Of course not, you dumbass! You both carry the same irrational guilt. You think you forced your feelings onto each other instead of realizing that you were both sitting in an echo chamber of your mutual love for each other. Fuck, y’all really are the epitome of clown to clown communication.”

* * *

Dave went to a small private college for his undergrad so he was expecting a small but similar ceremony for Roxy.

He was not expecting to walk into a stadium like he’s about to go watch the NBA playoffs. 

“Kind of overwhelming right?” Karkat leans over to whisper. 

Dave swallows, “Was yours like this?”

Karkat nods, “My undergrad was. My graduate program was a lot smaller. I didn’t even wear regalia for it.”

They find their seats as close as they can to the side where Roxy told them he’d be seated based on his major.

“You’re going to have to figure out how to make it to Kanaya’s and then my graduation next year,” Dirk bumps his shoulder against Karkat. 

“I’ll figure it out,” Karkat smiles. 

It’s a long ceremony. There are probably two thousand students to name and no less than 4 student speakers followed by a keynote. By the time Roxy gets called up, everyone is starting to doze off. 

Dave hears Karkat sniffle a few times and wraps an arm around him before he thinks better of it. Karkat doesn’t push him away. Instead, he leans in, resting his head on Dave’s shoulder. 

He sees John give him an encouraging smile, not in the same note of the suspicious glare that his little brother sends Dave’s way. 

When they’re all finally able to file out of the stadium, they find Roxy kissing all over Callie’s embarrassed face. 

They have a late dinner at a diner Roxy is fond of and Karkat is embarrassed to find out that the owner still recognizes him as the loud and foul-mouthed undergrad that used to spend his hangovers there with his roommates. 

For a few hours, things feel like they’re back to normal and both Karkat and Dave have to remind themselves that they can’t reach for each other in the way that they used to no matter how much they want to. 

* * *

“I’m going to head back tonight,” Karkat says as they’re sorting themselves into the cars. 

Dirk and Rose look at Dave with a sharp side-eye. He doesn’t meet their eye line, Dave’s eyes are focused on the way Karkat is hugging his arms.

“What? No, it’s late,” Roxy whines. 

Karkat shakes his head, “It’s fine.”

“You still have tomorrow off,” Kanaya gives him a stern look. She’s grown into her version of the piercing Maryam stare. “Rose, did you not say there is also a storm on the horizon? It would be unsafe to drive back tonight.”

Rose nods, “Please stay, Karkat. We are counting on your presence for tomorrow.”

Karkat looks up at her, puzzled. 

To everyone’s surprise, Dave is the next to make his argument. “You’re already half asleep. There is no way in hell I’m letting you drive tonight.”

Karkat narrows his eyes at Dave, “I’m fine. I’ll get some coffee.”

Dave crosses his arms, “There’s literally no rush. You could just as easily leave in the morning.”

“I said it’s fine,” Karkat growls. Dave can’t even be annoyed at the sound. He missed this. 

“Karkat, please,” Kanaya pleads. 

Karkat knows he doesn’t have a good excuse. He could always say he has grading or planning, but they all know that even if he dedicated a full week to that, the work would still be there. And after his display at breakfast when he nearly had a breakdown because he woke up tangled around Dave, and it hurt so much to know that Dave wasn’t his anymore; there is no way all of the kids don’t know exactly why Karkat is leaving. 

“You know what,” Dirk finally snaps, “We are going to go get ice cream at that place Callie pointed out. You two need to do something and figure your shit out. No one has the energy to put up with your emotional constipation 2.0.”

Dave and Karkat look at Dirk with mouths agape. 

“Come on,” Dirk says tugging on John’s hand. “Let’s go get some sherbert.”

The small crew starts walking away determined to walk to their destination and hopeful that the two oldest members of their family can figure things out like adults. 

“You’re just going to leave us stranded here?” Karkat yells after them.

“Dave’s car is unlocked! I got the keys with me!” Roxy calls back and jingles the little silver keys.

Neither of them moves until they’re out of sight. 

“Who fucking raised them?” Karkat asks and rubs his hands over his face. “We did. At least for like the second half.”

Dave shrugs, “I dunno, dude. My parents didn’t do a whole bunch. I’d say at this point it’s been mostly us.”

Karkat’s shoulders slump as he turns to look at Dave who motions at the car with his head. 

Dave is about to get into the driver’s seat when he sees Karkat get into the back. He rolls his eyes and follows him in.

“Don’t take your shades off,” Karkat huffs when he sees Dave reaching for them.

“Why not?”

Karkat glowers. He won’t dignify the question with an answer. It’s too embarrassing.

“Do you remember the first time we kissed?” 

Karkat feels his blood rush to his face. He buries it in his hands with a staggered whimper. “Why?” he whispers to himself. 

Dave smiles to himself and leans against the window. He sees a couple get into their car with a bag of take-out. “You were drunk as hell after the concert and you pushed me up against the car.”

“I’m still really sorry about that,” Karkat says quietly.

Dave chuckles. “I’m not. It was hot. I wanted to kiss you for so long at that point. I imagined it constantly. In my mind, we had already kissed at the grocery store, in my office, in my room, in that storage closet you got locked in. Finding you that you might—”

“Might?” Karkat looks up. “I do— did.  _ Fuck _ , who am I kidding, I  _ do _ . Dave, my feelings for you haven’t changed,” admitting aloud feels like a weight has been lifted once again. Karkat feels like he can finally breathe.

Dave shakes his head, “You only think that because I made you think that. I projected my feelings onto you. We all did.”

Karkat flinches, “The fuck? Since when do you have the ability to manipulate my feelings that intensely? You didn’t make me  _ think _ I am in love with you. I just am! I am in love with your stupid, punk, ass. And I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since—” Karkat growls and turns away. He can feel the warm tears forming in his eyes. He knew seeing Dave for the first time in nearly a year, would hurt. He didn’t think he’d have to live through rejection again though, it felt like Dave was rubbing salt on a wound that never healed. 

“Oh my fucking god, I wanted you to stay,” it comes out a garbled mess as his tears begin to run down his cheeks. “I really did. But you deserve so much more. To live your life and do all of the shit you had to miss out on.”

Dave rips his glasses off his face and rubs his eyes. He’s making Karkat cry. It was the last thing he wanted to do. But his own heart is aching at Karkat’s confession. He remembers Roxy’s comment from that morning. 

“Would you have gone with me?”

The question is barely audible to himself but Karkat hears it anyway.

Karkat gasps, “You didn’t ask.”

The windows in the car are beginning to fog up. Onlookers might think they’re being nefarious in the parking lot of the diner, little do they know the fog is from the heat of their tears and shallow, scared breathing.

“I would never ask you to leave what you love. You always said you couldn’t see yourself teaching anywhere else.”

Karkat shifts in the seat to face Dave. 

Dave’s heart shatters when he sees Karkat’s tear-stained face. Karkat’s heart fills with longing when he’s confronted with candy red eyes.

“That was before you! You nincompoop,” he chokes back something like a sob and a laugh. “If you had asked me, I would’ve told you that I can’t see myself anywhere you’re not!”

Dave’s own tears make their appearance, “Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you ask me to stay?”

Karkat reaches over and grabs Dave by the collar of his shirt. “Because you deserve nice things, you fool. You deserve to achieve your dreams and live out your life.”

Tension builds in Dave’s gut and crawls up to his chest, where it catches fire. The imaginary flames consume him as he finally reaches for Karkat, the way he’s been wanting to, and pulls his face in for a kiss.

It’s clumsy like it’s the first time again, but it feels like coming home. 

Dave Strider has been running on empty for months. The work and passions he pursues in his career can only do so much. They’re like little shots that help him hold on. 

But having Karkat— that’s like reaching an oasis in the desert. 

“Can’t live my life and achieve my dreams if you’re not with me,” he presses his forehead against Karkat’s.

“You’re such a dork,” Karkat chuckles but the faint wisp of a cry is still present. 

Dave scoots closer and pulls Karkat into a tight hug. His body eases when Karkat brings his arms up and hugs him back.

“We really are clown to clown communication.”

Karkat digs his fingers lightly into Dave’s skin, “Don’t call me a clown.”

Dave feels more tears come down his face and buries them in Karkat’s hair. “We’re both clowns,” he says into his hair. 

Karkat huffs and squeezes Dave a little tighter. 

It feels like a picturesque resolution but they both know the conversation isn’t over. 

“Come spend the summer with me. You’re out in like two weeks right?” Dave pulls back even though each cell in his body is screaming against it. 

Karkat wipes away his tears with the back of his hands, “The summer?” he sounds a little disappointed. 

“I know you enough to know that you’re not going to want to quit in the last week of school. And I still have another year in this MFA,” Dave reaches for Karkat’s hands and intertwines their fingers together. “After that, I’m either in a fellowship or I get to start up my own production company. But I don’t want to ask anything of you until I have a plan.”

Karkat starts crying again, “Why are you being so responsible?” he cries. 

Dave kisses the back of Karkat’s hands, “I promised your dad I would take care of you. And one of us should probably have a salaried job.”

Karkat finally laughs, it’s a rich and full sound. It reverberates through Dave making him feel so stupid for ever thinking he could survive without him. 

“So, summer? We can move you into the house. I know it’s sitting there empty save for when the kids have the secret meet-ups they think we don’t know about. You’re going to say it’s too soon, I know—”

Karkat hushes Dave with a gentles kiss over his lips. Dave melts into it with a short and quiet moan.

“Yeah. Let’s do it. I’ll move in. We’ll do long distance and write long romantic letters that will be outdated by the time they get to their destination. And then after that, I’ll go wherever you go.”

A thick happy sob gets lodged in his throat. Dave holds Karkat’s face between his hands and searches for doubt. He doesn’t find any. 

“I love you,” He says.

Karkat smiles, “I love you too.”

They’re leaning in for another kiss, the static electricity between them hitching into something a little tighter and sultry when there are three loud knocks on the window. They both scream.

“Are you guys being nasty in there?” Roxy asks. 

“Rox, don’t be crude, we can come back later or something,” Rose chides.

Dave opens his passenger door and is greeted by six pairs of curious eyes.

“Oh, you’ve got your clothes on,” Dirk sounds almost disappointed.

“Thank god,” John is relieved. 

* * *

Dave and Karkat have to endure all of the teasing (and some scolding) on the trip back to Roxy and Callie’s house. 

When it’s time for bed, Dave is nearly crawling out of his skin ready to dive into bed, if anything, just to hold Karkat through the night. 

They wake up for an early breakfast where there’s some more teasing before Kanaya and Rose announce their engagement. Rose had proposed nearly a month ago but had waited for everyone to be together to make the announcement. 

“At this moment we do not have plans for a wedding for another two or three years. But we would like to issue this as a challenge to anyone who would like to beat us to the altar.”

Dave squeezes Karkat’s hand under the table. 

“Bet!” John shouts with a bright Egbertian grin. Dirk chokes on his juice.

It’s not long after that they begin their goodbyes. 

“Call me when you get home,” Dave says between kisses. “Feel free to leave John and Dirk stranded on the side of the road if they’re too much.”

Karkat smirks, “You know I won’t hesitate.”

As if summoned, John bounces out the front door, “Karkat! If we help you move out of the apartment, can we stop by that restaurant that was on t.v.?”

Karkat rolls his eyes, full of affection, and gives Dave one last kiss. It’s not bitter or sad. They both know they’ll see each other soon. Dave is already mapping out his route back home to his boyfriend. 

Dave thinks about Rose and Kanaya’s challenge while he drives. Rose and Kanaya whisper to each other in the back seat. 

He thinks he can beat all of his siblings to the punch if he makes up for some lost time. 

“I’m gonna have to call his dad,” Dave says under his breath.

“What was that big brother?” Rose asks.

Dave smiles at her through the rearview mirror, “Just making some plans. No worries.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read my sleep-deprived rambles!!
> 
> I hope you all have a safe and joyful New Year!

**Author's Note:**

> I told y'all my head was already swimming with ideas! I couldn't work on anything else until I got this out of my system! I hope you enjoyed reading it!
> 
> Super early on in Teacher's Lounge (and some of y'all caught this), it started to feel like there was just a lot of pressure on Dave and Karkat to just _work out_. And of course, it would! It's davekat and I'm the writer! But I also wanted to highlight that it did impact their relationship but they had to realize that they really are meant to be by being apart. 
> 
> I'm super relieved that this tiny fic is no longer just in my head! Now I can get back to my other projects 👀...
> 
> As always, I'm not done with this AU! 
> 
> And thank you so much for reading along with me!


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